Leadership Traits in the Construction Industry and Alignment with Millennial and Generation Z

10 pages•Published: July 23, 2025

Abstract

The construction industry faces a shortage of skilled labor due to challenges associated with attracting and retaining quality people. Millennials and the Z generation represent the largest group currently entering the job force and the industry’s best means for resolving its labor shortage. This study seeks to discover Millennial and Generation Z construction workers’ perceptions of the most common leadership traits among leaders in the construction industry based on their personal experiences and interactions, the traits these workers perceive to be desirable among site leaders, determine if they are in alignment and if the industry is positioned to successfully recruit, lead, and retain members of these cohorts, and provide implications and recommendations based on the results. To accomplish this goal the paper performs a literature review and qualitative study utilizing a phenomenological method of conducting semi-structured interviews and analyzing the results. An interpretation of the findings indicates that the general approach to leadership in construction does not align with what is suggested to be effective for the upcoming generations, is inconsistent, some of the leaders in the industry lack emotional control, and the industry lacks training to prepare its leaders. This implies that the current leadership is not in an optimal position to recruit, lead, or retain members of the Millennial and Generation Z cohorts. Based on these findings the paper concludes by recommending a comprehensive and extensive training program that includes communication and people management that would place them in a better position to do so.

Keyphrases: construction, generation z, leadership, millennial

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony J. Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 61st Annual International Conference, vol 6, pages 684-693.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/qDhzf
	https://doi.org/10.29007/f5hj

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2025:Leadership_Traits_Construction_Industry,
  author    = {Jason Miller},
  title     = {Leadership Traits in the Construction Industry and Alignment with Millennial and Generation Z},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 61st Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony J. Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {6},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/qDhzf},
  doi       = {10.29007/f5hj},
  pages     = {684-693},
  year      = {2025}}

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